And he said that he had already met with local Republican officials and told them “I will help them do whatever is possible to help build the party.”

After his speech, Mr. Catsimatidis huddled with Queens Republican chairman Phil Ragusa and state party chairman Joseph Mondello, placing a hand on each of their shoulders and reminding them that he was there to help. Before leaving, Mr. Catsimatidis gave them each a business card with his cell-phone number on it.

Leaving his wife and teenage children to their own devices, Mr. Catsimatidis proceeded to work the remaining crowd of gray-haired locals, most of whom make the dinner an annual ritual, and younger party members, some of whom have sportingly mounted hopeless bids for office in recent years.

Then, in a short interview afterwards, he admired his handiwork. “That makes the difference between me and other people,” he said. “I have the ability to do that, versus a lot of other Republicans who don’t. And I think being a people person helps. I like people. I don’t run away from people.”

He declined to say whether he had anyone in particular in mind. (Note: Time Warner C.E.O. and oft-discussed potential Mayoral draftee Richard Parsons is not known as a people person.)

Mr. Catsimatidis hastened to mention that his planned party switch wasn’t merely one of convenience.

“I was a Republican in the 1980’s—a Ronald Reagan Republican,” he said. “I donated to the Republican library. I supported George H.W. Bush. I helped build the chapel at Camp David under George H.W. Bush, and then I was chairman of the New York County dinner two years out of five under Roy Goodman. I’ve done a lot of Republican things.

“And I’m baaaack. How’s that sound?”

Mr. Catsimatidis said that he would officially change his party registration in a week or two. Because, he said, of his “future plans.”